Occupational Mobility and Migration in China

China has undertaken an ambitious series of economic reforms that has included a break-up of the commune system, enterprise reform, and liberalised rules for foreign investment and trade. The shift from a centrally-planned to a market economy led to rapid growth in the economy, and the introduction of new technologies, industries, jobs, and new forms of enterprise. It has also created social transformations on an enormous scale, and new stresses on the social safety net. These tensions have increased with the broadening of reforms and the recent downturn in the Chinese economy. Millions of workers are being laid off as state-owned and collective enterprises are being streamlined or shut down. Uneven development has produced massive migration flows from inland provinces to the coastal cities and other urban areas. As unemployment rises migrants are coming under increasing pressure economically, and in many places they face new administrative barriers to employment.

Chinese policy makers are in need of reliable, practical information about these developments to guide further changes in labour market and industrial policy, social security, job training, migration policy and other areas. In co-operation with the research arm of the State Science and Technology Commission (NRCSTD), FAFO has carried out a survey-based study of occupational mobility and migration in several cities. It is the first large-scale survey to be conducted in China with help from a Nordic country. The study examines the both the causes and effects of mobility, including current labour force situation and working conditions, work history, experience with unemployment and vocational training services, medical coverage and other employee benefits, and attitudes. The survey also collected histories of people's work, unemployment and training to see how careers have been shaped by the process of reform. Data on migrants explores the reasons for migration, social networks and sources of help in finding work and housing, social and administrative problems experienced after moving to the city, and contacts with the home place.

After discussions with policy makers in to determine the types of data that were most needed, Fafo and NRCSTD formed an Advisory Group of Chinese policy makers and social scientists. The survey was conducted in November and December 1998, in the cities of Beijing, Wuxi and Zhuhai. A total of 7500 households were interviewed, with a response rate of about 93%.

The project was commissioned by the National Research Center for Science and Technology for Development (NRCSTD), Beijing, and the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Oslo.

Results

• Preliminary Tabulation Report (in Chinese), Spring 2000
• Presentation to the Network for Asia-Pacific Studies, Sundvolden, June 5 to 7, 2000 (pdf-file to be downloaded)
• Presentation Beijing Workshop June 3-5, in English (pdf-file to be downloaded)
• David Drury and Marie W. Arneberg No More Forevers (2001) (pdf-file to be downloaded)

Researchers at Fafo

David Drury (project director)

Jon Pedersen

Kari Hauge Riisøen

Marie W. Arneberg

Researchers at NRCSTD

Wang Fenyu (project director)

Wang Junfeng

Fan Lihong, Ju Wenzhong

Deng Xueming

Li Lulu (Renmin University)

Ge Yanfeng (Research Centre of the State Council)